


Otis The Turtle

by Cowboysandcannolis



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: A beautiful summer day, A hungry turtle, Gen, all fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:00:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22388326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cowboysandcannolis/pseuds/Cowboysandcannolis
Summary: Thinking back on your relationship with Arthur you realize that you have someone very specific to thank for getting you two together.
Relationships: Arthur Morgan/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63





	Otis The Turtle

Clements Point definitely had it’s drawbacks, like the fact that it was hot, humid and buggy were especially annoying to you. You had once made the analogy that the area must have been as hot as Satan’s unmentionables. This statement earned you a slap on the back of the head from Miss Grimshaw.  
Yet you loved the water access and many a hot day you got quite a thrill by jumping off the end of the dock and cooling yourself in Flat Iron Lake. You could float in the water for hours after a hard day of chores or hunting. Hosea would chuckle fondly and call you the catch of the day.  
On one particularly hot afternoon you had just surfaced from underneath the water when a harsh nip on the side of your foot caused you to scream, more in surprise than in pain.  
Before you knew it there was quite a splash beside you, water rushing over your face as a strong pair of arms grabbed onto you and held you tight.  
You coughed, struggling to heave up the water that had forced it’s way into your lungs by the wave. Blinking water out of your eyes to see Arthur, fully clothed in the water beside you.  
“What happened? You okay?!” His wide blue eyes looked you over as you both bobbed in the water.  
“Yeah, I’m fine. Something bit me is all.”  
“Bit ya?”  
“Yes, Arthur, I’m fine.”  
He made quick work of towing you into the shallows, and gently setting you on the sand. You were both absolutely soaking wet, clothes heavy and clinging to you. There was a little crescent shaped cut on the side of your foot from the bite but nothing you were concerned about.  
The look on Arthur’s face showed that he obviously thought otherwise. “I think you should have someone look at that. Maybe Abigail or I’ll bring you into town even.”  
“I’m fine.” You waved off his suggestion, wringing out your hair before looking up to him. “It will be healed up in a-“ The moment your eyes met his face you just couldn’t help but giggle. His hair, which was much longer than he usually kept it, was plastered against his skull underneath his floppy, wet hat.  
“Arthur Morgan-“ You chuffed, forgetting all about your pain as a full laugh overtook you. He looked so silly, that along with this concerned expression was absolutely hilarious.  
“You should not have done that, you are soaked to the bone. I’m fine. It’s just a little fish or-“  
“Turtle bite.” Arthur finished for you as from the depths of the lake a pretty large, old turtle shimmied it’s way into the sand. At first you simply stared at the creature in surprise as it shuffled towards you, the next you were scooped up in Arthur’s arms, with an undignified squeak, as the turtle made a feeble attempt to nip you again.  
“You two made a new friend, have you?” Hosea cooed as he set down his book and meandered over, apparently you two and the turtle were much more exciting. The old man grinned openly at you, Arthur still holding you like a bride in his arms as the turtle attempted to gnaw at his boot.  
“Quite a beast.” Hosea remarked sarcastically, kneeling down to get on the level of the turtle. The turtle turned it’s attention to Hosea, trying to make a meal of his boot instead.  
“Hungry, little fella?” Hosea then got the ball rolling on what would become a daily tradition, feeding the turtle. Today it was jerky, a much too large piece, in your opinion. The turtle took the entire slab of meat into his maw, dragging it back towards the lake.  
Hosea, with his hands on his hips watched the comical creature finally swim off, jerky in tow.  
“Well, danger averted. I think you can put her down now, Arthur.” Hosea winked at his adopted son before walking off. Arthur, with wide blue eyes, was quick to set you down on the sand.  
“Er-...Want me to wrap that up for you?”  
That damn turtle returned to the shore every single day, looking for more generous donations of food. If someone, you, Arthur or Hosea, wasn’t there to give it to him he would meander deeper into camp, snapping at anyone that got in his way. On such occasions you and Arthur would share a look and sigh, he would carefully pick up the turtle and bring him back towards the water and you would get the creature a snack for his troubles.  
One afternoon you two watched the turtle swim off with a cut of venison that you had been looking foreword to eating.  
“You know...Hosea always said that if you feed it that it is a pet..” You remarked, playfully nudging Arthur. “Since we have a new pet maybe we should name it.”  
Arthur was silent for a moment, you thought he was trying to find the best way to tell you that this turtle was not your pet and you weren’t naming it. Instead, after the pensive silence, he muttered.  
“I like Otis.”  
“Otis it is.”  
The daily tradition brought the two of you considerably closer. You started to spend more time together on the daily and an affection that was already there bloomed into a love. You shared your first kiss on the dock on a quiet moonlit night, feet dangling over the edge as you leaned into one another.  
You expected his first words to you after the kids would be something incredibly romantic or sweet. Instead Arthur mumbled “I can’t believe a turtle caused this..”  
You would be sure to hang those words over his head for years and years to come.

**Author's Note:**

> A fun little story that I hope you enjoyed as much as I did. For my regular readers I am sorry for the long break, I lost a bit of my inspiration and I thank you for sticking with me through it. As always you can find me on tumblr as well by the same name. Take care, Cowpokes!


End file.
